Folding bleacher



March 27 E934.,

R. E. SHERLOCK FOLDING BLEACHER Filed April 2o, 193s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1RNEYS ATTO March 27, 1934.

R. E. SHERLOCK FOLDING BLEACHER Filed April 20, 1933 2 sheets-sheet 2INVENTOR BY) a- XM ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENTY oFFlcE 12 Claims.

This invention pertains generally to bleachers and pertains particularlyto bleachers of the folding type.

r Bleachers of the folding type have a well established use ingymnasiums, auditoriums, etc., to provide seating facilities whennecessary and at the same time to make available a maximumv of oor spacewhen the seating facilities are not required.

'I'his invention relates to a folding bleacher of a type which may bepermanently installed and which may be folded and unfolded quickly andeasily. The invention also relates to a folding bleacher which affords asmooth exterior surface l" when folded and which is free fromprojections or other structural elements which might cause accidentalinjury to the person.

The invention also relates to the construction,

o arrangement, and combination of parts which 0 together with otherfeatures will become more apparent to persons skilled in the art as thespecification proceeds, and upon reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view shown broken of 25 a bleacher in unfoldedposition.

Figure 2 is a perspective view shown broken of the bleacher of Figure 1and illustrating the first step in the folding operation.

n Figure 3 is a perspective view shown broken 00 of the bleacherillustrating the folded position.

Figure 4 is a top plan view shown broken. Figure 5 is an elevation shownbroken. Figure 6 is an end view of the bleacher in unfolded position. 0Figure 7 is an end view of the bleacher in folded position. Referringnow more particularly to'the drawin gs at 10 is shown a bleacher havingspaced frame members 1l hinged at l2 to a wall 13. As seen in 40 Figures4 and 5 the bleacher illustrated has three similar frame members hingedat spaced points to the wall 13. The spacing between frame members 11 issuch that these members will not overlap when the bleacher is folded. Itis to be un- 45 derstood that any number of frame members may beemployed.

Frame members 11 may be of any suitable construction, and each ispreferably provided with a supporting roller 15 or similar means at thefloor 50 end 16 of Stringer 14 so that the frame members 11 may be movedbetween folded and unfolded positions with ease.

Any suitable means may be employed on each Stringer 14 for supportingthe seats or the seats 55 and foot rests as the case may be. In theconstruction shown live spaced vertical members 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22and a sloping member 23 are attached to each stringer 14. 0n eachv framemember 11 Vertical members 18 and 19 are joined at their tops by a.horizontal member 24; vertical members 20 and 21 are joined at theirtops by a. horizontal member 25; and vertical member 22 is joined at itstop with the top of sloping member l26 by a horizontal member 27.

A horizontal member 28 extends between the vertical members 19 and 20and as shown abuts the vertical member 20 at a point below its top end.Horizontal member 29 extends between vertical members 21 and 22 and asshown abuts the vertical member 22 at a point below its top end. Inother words the horizontal member 25 is at a. higher level than thehorizontal member 28 and the horizontal member 27 vis at a higher levelthan the horizontal member 29. 'Ihis is to place the foot rests slightlybelow the adjacent seats. This 75 feature may be dispensed with ifdesired.

The frame members 11 shown and described provide for three seats and twofoot rests. However, it will be understood that the construction may beVaried to accommodate any number of seats and foot rests.

In the bleacher illustrated a seat 31 is adapted to rest on thehorizontal members 24, a foot rest 32 on the horizontal members 28, aseat 33 on the horizontal members 25, a foot rest 34 on the 85horizontal members 29 and a seat 35 on the horizontal members 27. Seatsand foot rests 31 to 35 inclusive are attached to the frame members 11by means of doublejointed hinges', said hinges permitting the seats andfoot rests to move about horizontal and vertical axes with respect tothe frame members 11. l

As illustrated the seat 31 is attached to each frame member 11 throughthe medium of the plate 38 of hinge 39 and is adapted to move about ahorizontal pintle 40 of said hinge. 'Ihe pintle 40 joins the plate 38with the plate 41. Plate 41 is adapted to move about the vertical pintle42 interposed between the plate 41 and the plate 43. Plate 43 isattached to the horizontal member 24 through the medium of anintermediate spacing block 44 so that the plate 38 might rest on theupper surface of the horizontal member 24 when seat 3l is in use, and sothat the seat Will be spaced outwardly from the side faces of framemembers 11 when folded as seen in Figures 3 and 7.

Seats 33 and 35 are attached to each frame member 11 in a similar mannerby means of the hinges 46 and 47 respectively.

A hinge 49 is employed for mountingthe foot rest 32 to each frame member11. Hinge 49 is secured by its plate 50 to the vertical member 19. Plate51 of hinge 49 is connected to plate 50 by means of a vertical pintle 52and to the plate 53 of hinge 49 by means of a horizontal pintle 54e.Plate 53 is attached to foot rest 32.

The foot rest 34 is attached to frame members 11 in a similar manner bymeans of hinges 56.

- To fold the bleacher the seats and foot rests 31 to 35 are first movedabout their horizontal pintles to a vertical position as illustrated inFigure 2. For convenience any means may be provided for holding theseats and foot rests 31 to 35 in this position. For instance, the hingesmay have spring pressed or binding pintles, or hooks or other similarmeans may be employed. The

devices illustrated for holding up the seats com--v prise tubularportions 58 and 59 formed by curling adjacent edges on plates 38 and 41respectively and a pin 60 for each pair of alined portions 58 and 59which fits into these portions as shown. For holding up the foot rests Ihave shown a tubular portion 61 on plate 51 and a pin 62 with a hook 63which is adapted to engage a recess 64 in the edge of the foot rest asshown.

After the seats and foot rests have been brought to the verticalposition as illustrated in Figure 2, the frame members 11 are moved tothe right as seen in Figures 1 and 2 to bring them more or less parallelto the wall 13 as illustrated in Figure 3. In this movement the seats31, 33 and 35 move relative to the frame members 11 about the verticalpintles 42 and the foot rests 32 and 34 move relative to the framemembers 1l about vertical pintles 52.

The parts are proportioned so that when the bleacher is folded (seeFigures 3 and '7) the foot rest 32 passes underneath the hinges 39 andthe seat 31; the horizontal members 25 iit underneath the foot rest 32;the seat 33 abuts the foot rest 32 face to face; the foot rest 34 passesunderneath the seat 33 and its supporting hinges 46; the horizontalmembers 27 t underneath the foot rest 34 and the seat 35 abuts the footrest 34 face to face.

It will be noted that foot rest 32 and foot rest 34 are substantially inone plane and that seat 31, seat 33 and seat 35 are also substantiallyin one plane. It will also be noted that the seats 31, 33 and 35presenta flat exterior surface when folded and that the entire bleacheris free from any projections or other structural elements which mightcause injury to a player or other person using the gymnasium floor.

While the invention has been described in connection with a singleembodiment for the purposes of illustration, it is to be understood thatit is in no way limited thereto and that it is capable of embodiment ina wide variety 4of different structural forms.

The parts may be constructed of any suitable material such as wood orsteel or a combination of the two.

A number of bleachers may be arranged side by side and may or may notoverlap when folded, depending upon the spacing therebetween, as will beobvious. v

Having described my invention it is obvious that changes, additions,omissions, substitutions and modifications may be made within the samewithout departing from the spirit thereof.

It is, of course, obvious that when the seats and foot rests arereferred to as being spaced horizontally, this need not necessarily meanthat Athe horizontal projections of such members do not overlap or arenot contiguous. The term spaced horizontally in its broadest sense is tobe construed as meaning that one member is not directly above the other.

I claim:

l. A bleacher comprising a plurality of spaced frame members, means forhingedly supporting one end of each frame member adapting it to swingabout a vertical axis, cach frame member having seat supporting portionsspaced vertically and horizontally from each other, a seat for each setof seat supporting portions of a common height, and means for attachingsaid seats to said frame members adapting said seats to swing abouthorizontal and vertical axes relative to said frame members.

2. A bleacher comprising a plurality of spaced frame members, means forhingedly supporting one end of each frame member adapting it tc swingabout a vertical axis, each frame member having seat supporting portionsspaced vertically and horizontally from each other, and foot restsupporting portions spaced vertically and horizontally from each other,a seat foreach set of seat supporting portions of a common height, afoot rest for each set of foot rest supporting portions of a commonheight, and means for attaching said seats and foot rests to said framemembers adapting said seats and foot rests to swing about horizontal andvertical axes relative to said frame members.

3. -A bleacher comprising a plurality of spaced frame members means forhingedly supporting one end of each frame member adapting it to swingabout a vertical axis, each frame member having seat supporting portionsspaced vertically and horizontally from each other, a seat for each setof seat supporting portions of a common height, and means for attachingsaid seats to said frame members adapting said seats to swing abouthorizontal and vertical axes relative to said frame members throughangles of at least about 90 degrees.

4. A bleacher comprising a plurality of spaced frame members, means forhingedly supporting one end of each frame member adapting it to swingabout a vertical axis, each frame member having seat supporting portionsspaced vertically and horizontally from each other, and foot restsupporting portions spaced vertically and horizontally from each other,a seat for each set of seat supporting portions of a common height, afoot rest for each set of foot rest supporting portions of a commonlength, and means for attaching said seats and foot rests to said framemembers adapting said seats and foot rests to swing about horizontal andvertical axes relative to said frame members through angles ofsubstantially 90 degrees.

5. A bleacher comprising a plurality of spaced frame members, means forhingedly supporting one end of each frame member adapting it to swingabout a vertical axis, the spacing between said frame members being atleast equal to the horizontabprojection of a single frame member, eachframeqnember having seat supporting portions spaced`\..vertically andhorizontally from each other, a seat for each set of seat supportingportions of a common height, and means for attaching said seats to saidframe members adapting saidseat to swing about horizontal and verticalaxes relative to said frame members.

6. A bleacher comprising a plurality of spaced frame members, means forhingedly supporting one end of each frame member adapting it to swingabout a vertical axis, the spacing between said frame members being atleast equal to the horizontal projection of a single frame member, eachframe member having seat supporting portions spaced vertically andhorizontally from each other and foot rest supporting portions spaced.vertically and horizontally from each other, a. seat for each set ofseat supporting portions of a common height, a foot rest for each set offoot rest supporting portions of a common length, and means forattaching said seats and foot rests to said frame members adapting saidseats and foot rests to swing about horizontal and vertical axesrelative to said frame members.

7. A bleacher comprising a plurality of spaced frame members, means forhingedly supporting one end of each frame member adapting it to swingabout a vertical axis, the spacing between said frame members being atleast equal to the horizontal projection of a single frame member, eachframe member having seat supporting portions spaced vertically andhorizontally from each other, a seat for each set of seat supportingportions of a common height, and means for attaching said seats to saidframe members adapting said seats to swing about horizontal and verticalaxes relative to said frame members through angles of substantially 90degrees.

8. A bleacher comprising a plurality of spaced frame members, means forhingedly supporting one end of each frame member adapting it to swingabout a vertical axis, the spacing between said frame members being atleast equal to the horizontal projection of a single frame member, eachframe member having seat supporting portions spaced vertically andhorizontally from each other and foot rest supporting portions spacedvertically and horizontally from each other, a seat for each set of seatsupporting portions of a common height, a foot rest for each set of footrest supporting portions of a common height, and means for attachingsaid seats and foot rests to said frame members adapting said seats andfoot rests to swing about horizontal and vertical axes relative to saidframe members through angles of substantially 90 degrees.

9. A bleacher comprising, a plurality of spaced frame members, means forhingedly supporting one end of each frame member to a wall at apredetermined height above the floor in a manner to adapt it to swingabout a vertical axis between positions substantially parallel to andsubstantially at right angles to said wall, the other end of each framemember adapted to engage the floor, the space between said frame membersbeing at least equal to the horizontal projection of a single framemember, each frame member having seat supporting portions spacedvertitically and horizontally from each other', a seat for each set ofseat supporting portions of a common height, means for attaching saidseats to said frame members adapting said seats to swing abouthorizontal axes between substantially horizontal and substantiallyvertical positions and about vertical axcs relative to said framemembers when said frame members are moved between positions at rightangles to and parallel to said wall, so that when said seats are invertical position said bleacher may be folded against said wall andunfolded to operative position.

10. A bleacher comprising, a plurality of spaced frame members, meansfor hingedly supporting one end of each frame member to a wall at apredetermined height above the iloor in a manner to adapt it to swingabout a vertical axis between positions substantially parallel andsubstantially at right angles to said wall, the other end of each framemember 'adapted to engage the floor, the space betweenv said framemembers being at least equal to the horizontal projection of a singleframe member, each frame member having seat supporting portions spacedvertically and horizontally from each other and foot rest supportingportions spaced vertically and horizontally from each other, a seat for'each set of seat supporting portions of a common height, a foot restfor each set of foot rest supporting portions of a common height, meansfor attaching said seats and foot rests to said frame members adaptingsaid seats and foot rests to swing about horizontal axes betweensubstantially horizontal and substantially vertical positions and aboutvertical axes relative to said frame members when said frame members aremoved between positions at right angles to and parallel to said wall, sothat when said seats and foot rests are in vertical position saidbleacher may be folded against said wall and unfolded to operativeposition.

11. A bleacher comprising a plurality of spaced frame members, means forhingedly supporting one end of each frame member to a wall adapting saidframe members to swing about a vertical axis between positionssubstantially at right angles to and substantially parallel to saidwall, thespacing between said frame members being at least equal to thehorizontal projection of a single frame member, each frame member havingseat supporting portions spaced vertically and horizontally from eachother, a seat for each set of seat supporting portions of a commonheight, means for attaching said seats to said frame members adaptingsaid seats to swing about horizontal and vertical axes relative to ysaid frame members through angles of at least about degrees, saidvertical axes for said seats being substantially in a common plane oneach frame member and substantially identically positioned on each framemember, said seats adapted to swing about said horizontal axes between asubstantially horizontal and a substantially vertical position and aboutsaid vertical axes between a position substantially at right angles toand a position substantially parallel to said frame members, said seatshaving a width not greater than the vertical spacing therebetween,

axis between positions substantially at right angles to andsubstantially parallel to said wall, the spacing between said framemembers being at least equal to the horizontal projection of a singleframe member, each frame member having seat supporting portions spacedvertically and -1 horizontally from each other and foot rest sup portingportions spaced vertically and horizontally from each other,a seat foreach set of seat supporting portions of a common height, a foot rest foreach set of foot rest supporting portions of a common height, means forattaching said seats and foot rests to said frame members adapting saidseats and foot rests to swing about horizontal and vertical axesrelative to said frame members through angles of at least about 90degrees, the vertical axes for said seats being in a common plane andthe vertical ax'es for said foot rests being in a common plane spacedfrom said rst mentioned plane on each frame member and substantiallyidentically positioned on each frame member, said seats and foot restsadapted to swing about said horizontal axes between a substantiallyhorizontal and a substantially vertical position and about said vertical

